AGS problems with Outback system [RE-wrenches]

Wed Dec 5 11:27:46 PST 2007

HI All,

Thanks for all the good feedback! This is the first time I've polled the
group for help and I'm glad to find such a cooperative industry. You
guys/gals rule!

Christopher: The generator is a 6kW Tiger Power gen with a Honda propane
powered engine. It's a two wire start gen and the relay I'm using was the
one suggested by GRO solar where I got the units. I'm not sure of its
rating. I'll check it out. 

I'll also check the Aux output selection and test the gen start with a
jumper. 

Blair: I do have the control wire to the generator running through the
conduit with the AC from the gen. I'll reroute it external to the conduit to
see if that solves the problem. Makes sense that the control could be
corrupted by the power. However the problem is intermittent and seems to be
induced by hard usage. 

Jason: I did switch the port. The AGS worked but still had the same problem.

If all else fails I'll get a new mate. 

Thanks again all, 

Jonah Liebes 
NABCEPT Cert.
Regional Operations Director
www.heliopower.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jason Lerner [mailto:wapalco at rockisland.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 12:04 AM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: AGS problems with Outback system [RE-wrenches]

Hello Jonah,

When Switching from FX 1 to FX 2 did you also switch the AGS port?   
Switching the AGS port from 0 to 1  helped me on one Mate/gen problem.

Best,

Jason Lerner
Waldron Power and LIght Co.

On Dec 4, 2007, at 12:07 PM, Jonah Liebes wrote:

>
> You're onto something there Darryl. I thought the same thing except  
> for two
> problems with that theory: The mate/inverter sends the start signal  
> based on
> (in this situation) a minimum voltage threshold combined with a  
> time span.
> (If the voltage drops below the preset level for 24 hours, 2 hours,  
> or 2
> minutes the gen will start.) If the battery voltage is rising so  
> quickly
> during the charge cycle that the gen is signaled to shut down and  
> then just
> as quickly the voltage drops, what would signal the gen to restart?  
> If your
> answer is, "the gen re-started based on the low voltage set point" my
> response is that it should have to wait at least 2 min to reach the  
> 2 min
> volt start set point. Instead it waits only 15-60 seconds.
>
> Even with that knowledge I decided to change the battery bank a few  
> weeks
> ago and the problem persists. I replaced the old VRLA batteries  
> with brand
> new, 12V sealed bats wired at 24VDC.
>
> In answer to your other questions: the FX is making the call to the  
> gen to
> start. Just for kicks, I switched inverters (there are 2) that send  
> the
> signal and nothing changed. I'm not sure about the AC Gen support.  
> It is an
> AC gen. From memory I thought outback had a DC gen support. ?>?
>
> Thanks for the help.
>
>
> Jonah Liebes
> NABCEPT Cert.
> Regional Operations Director
> www.heliopower.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Darryl Thayer [mailto:daryl_solar at yahoo.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 10:51 AM
> To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> Subject: Re: AGS problems with Outback system [RE-wrenches]
>
>
> Hi Jonah
>
> This is off the wall, but is it possible the batteries
> are too small or too old or have lost there capacity?,
>  Put a voltmeter on the battery set and look at what
> happens when a low voltage call is made.  You may need
> a Peak and Hold meter or a Max and Min meter to do
> this.  The phenomena of cycling would be caused by the
> bateries rizing in voltage at first, then after a
> couple of tries the batteries accept the charge and
> hold the voltage down.
>
> If you want another off the wall, What type of
> genertor hybrid system are you using?  Is the MX 60
> aux or the FX making the generator call?  Are you
> trying to do AC generator support?
>
> Good luck
> Darryl
> --- Jonah Liebes <jliebes at heliopower.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Hi All,
>>
>>
>>
>> I need help! I have an ongoing problem with the
>> Automatic Generator Start on
>> a (2) VFX 3624 system. The system is supplied by a
>> rather small 800 Wp solar
>> array and (6) 12V seal batteries.
>>
>>
>>
>> Here's the problem: the starting of the back-up
>> generator is not reliable.
>> It will load start when the well kicks on as it's
>> supposed to. It will
>> usually volt start when the timed, low voltage
>> threshold is reached, but not
>> always.
>>
>>
>>
>> Also, if and when it does come on, it will "cycle"
>> on and off every 15-60
>> seconds. The cycling could go on for hours: on for
>> up to a minute, then off
>> for 15 or so seconds, then back on for a minute,
>> then off again. One strange
>> thing is that the cycling will occur even when the
>> generator control is set
>> to 'manual'. I do hear the relay in the Outback
>> closing contacts which
>> signals the gen to start, so I don't think it's the
>> generator itself.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> I've just replaced the battery bank, added 300 Wp of
>> PV and reset the Mate
>> to factory defaults and reprogrammed it with Outback
>> on the phone. Nothing
>> has affected the problem though.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Any help out there would be greatly appreciated.
>> I've spent hours
>> troubleshooting and head scratching with and without
>> Outback tech support
>> and nobody has figured it out yet.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks in advance,
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Jonah Liebes
>>
>> NABCEPT Cert.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> [Non-text portions of this message have been
>> removed]
>>
>>
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>
>
>
>
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